Be More Brazen
by Tweedle Laney
Summary: After all, what better advice could the lizard give her? GrayxAlice ONESHOT.


"Gray, are you free now?" Alice peeked over the mountain of paperwork the lizard had been looming behind with wide eyes, as the ex assassin reared his head up. "Well yes, I am free.." He replied in a lowered voice, then raised it in concern. "And you are walking right now?" he questioned towards the bubbly looking young lady.

"Yeah, Julius told me I could start walking again today, and it's not that bad~ It hurts a little, so I don't run" she smiled earnestly.

Due to freak accident before, Blood has accidentally sent a stray bullet to her leg. It was really an accident, and Blood had insisted he follow her to the emergency care, but he had gotten a pretty bad rap for it. And Julius had been there to take her back to the tower afterwards.

"I was wondering if you would go out to town with me~" she continued. Gray's brow merely twitched as he took notice to the mentioned name, but he decided not to cause a commotion over it and merely nodded. "You should watch it though. If I were watching you more, you wouldn't be walking really...But of course I will accompany you to town, Alice." standing from his chair, he stretched his arms out behind him before circling the desk towards the outsider, who sighed.

"Julius said the sooner I start walking, the sooner he can stop worrying. I'd prefer him not to worry" she shrugged, smiling and grabbing his hand. "Thank you, Gray~" she chirped. She was still pretty cheerful for someone who lived in such a crazy world.

"Just because he is worrying doesn't mean you should put yourself in further harm..." He had retorted but slowed the retaliation to Julius' ideals when she grasped his hand. He tensed up the very slightest, and nodded. "Ah...Sure. May I ask, why are you going there? For a simple errand?" he questioned.

"Well, it is Gowlands birthday... And-" she paused, looking to the side with a slight blush crossing her face. "Well, it's been awhile... So I wanted to spend some time with you" she murmured. "Gowland's birthday..." He murmured for a moment, before his honey gazed hues seemed to widen a bit. "Wait... You really want to spend with me?" He inquired and pointed to himself to emphasis the point. "Yeah... You've been gone for awhile, so I wanted to spend time with you..." she explained with a flushed face. "I missed you"

"W-well thank you." Gray murmured with a smile as a very slight pink tint coated his cheeks though he did well to suppress it. "I did miss you quite much too, glad to see you again."

"You too~" she offered a small smile, noting the barely noticeable pink shade in his face. "So shall we go ahead?" she offered, moving a strand of hair from her face. "Of course" Gray nodded and glanced to the side. "You are aware of where town is, right? Of course you are..." he nodded again, and began leading her in the proper direction. She nodded, following closely behind him, with a dark blush tainting her face. "Thanks again for coming with me... I'm glad~"

He noted the nearly crimson tint but paid no particular, outer attention to it as he gifted her a smile. "Really, it's no trouble. I am glad to. I can also pick up more medicine for Nightmare while I'm at it."

She smiled, but imagined how difficult it must be for him to be so loyal to Nightmare. Just giving him medicine was a chore... But doing his paperwork, plus his own paperwork and everything such as cooking and cleaning must really be hard. "It must be hard..." she sighed, as they walked. He quirked a brow at this and looked right at her as they walked along the trail. "It must be...What must be hard?" He studied her expression a bit more carefully than before, knowing she was going to pass him questions, and most likely about his work as well.

"Just... The work you do. All the paperwork and things you do..." she looked towards him, her teal colored orbs making contact towards his golden colored ones. His eyes widened the slightest and he adverted them for just a moment before gathering himself. Being nervous was something he found a tad ridiculous. He looked back to her again, nodding. "It can be very frustrating certain days, but after a while, one can get used to it."

"I admire you for it~ I wish I could be more tolerable like you" she smiled gently, as they walked into town. "Hmm... Should we get the medicine first, or just get the gift?"

"Well...It's my job." He placed no further claims on it and pointed ahead a ways, and just a bit off to the side. "The gift shop is closer, but, whatever you prefer to do." He smiled again at her, slightly. "Well, once we get Gowlands gift, and Nightmares meds, we'd have more time just to look at stuff and talk~" she nodded towards the gift shop. "That would be good. A nice and relaxing time out." Gray had nodded in approval and never once let his hold of her hand loosen as he took lead towards the gift shop.

Once they were inside, she began to think what the male would like. He was a music fanatic after all. Anything musical would work. One or two giggling faceless women caught her attention. They seemed to be looking towards Gray, blushing and laughing. She looked towards Gray, who didn't seem to notice. 'He does look handsome...'

Indeed, the woman were void of his attention. Instead, he seemed to be staring at small key chains by a rack that sported the appearances of tiny fish. They looked very...Charming to him. He remembered he should be aiding Alice instead, and looked back over towards Alice. "I never concern myself with Gowland often. I know he likes music... Maybe you could get him a new bow for his violin...Or sheet music?"

Catching herself staring, she jumped slightly as his attentions turned towards her. "M-Maybe that would work~" she agreed, before slamming the palm of her hand to her forehead in aggravation. "I'm sure they have sheet music there" she pointed towards a rack with a number of pamphlets that were covered in musical notes.

He arched a brow at her and expressed a bit of concern as he approached her, towards the rack. He looked over the notes for a quick moment before he looked back to Alice. "Are you already? You seem a bit flustered." She picked up the pamphlet like notebook of sheet music, and skimmed over it. "Flustered? No, I'm fine~" she nodded with a smile. "I think this one is fine~ Let's pay so we can get Nightmares medication, and look at some other things~"

"I'll pay for you." Gray had claimed, and took a glance over the sheet. He didn't know why he did, he could barely understand the placement of the notes in the first place. "Nightmare's medication is only a block away. And after that is whatever follows suit." He took his gaze to the side in thought. "Oh! Thank you~" the woman looked towards him gratefully, as they headed towards the counter, where the faceless cashier stood. "Hey Gray...? Could I ask you for some advice?"

"Advice? Sure, Alice." The Lizard clarified her request with a curt nod and payed the faceless cashier the sum they owed. He was regarded with the notes, and a receipt. Those things were pointless to him. Nevertheless he slipped the receipt into his pocket, on the off chance Alice might want it for some reason and then directed his attention straight into her. "Eheh, I cannot promise I can offer the best advice, but I can try."

"I think you're the perfect person to ask... Well, perhaps..." her face flushed slightly, as she spoke. "I... Well, I like this certain person. But I feel like a child compared to him. And I'm not exactly what to do. He's a bit older then I am, but I really like him" she spoke truthfully, as they left the small gift shop, heading down the small road to get the medicine.

Gray rubbed his chin a bit in a habit of thought, brows knitting as he thought on the matter she presented to him. There were only a few people in the land that could probably make Alice feel like a child. He thought solely on that for a moment, and his eyes widened a bit as he obliviously came to the conclusion she had meant Julius.

Despite it all a pang of jealousy hit him, but he could surely not allow that to show through. They arrived at the destined shop, and he waited a moment before opening the door so that others would not over hear. The Pharmacy-like shop could be crowded frequently. "Well...If you really do feel for them, then you should go for it. They probably like you back, don't they?" He withheld a sigh in return to his advice given, but he hardly even realized why he even felt jealousy.

"R-Really?" her sky blue eyes widened slightly in surprise, as she hesitated with her next words "I would... I'm just afraid he wouldn't return the feelings." she looked down towards the ground quietly, her grip on Grays hand tightening just a bit. "I mean, he's really nice once you get past the intimidating parts of him..." she explained, "But he's so serious and I think he wouldn't accept my feelings" she finished, moving away her bangs with a dainty hand.

Her grip was quite noticeable on his hand. He was quite sure now that it was Julius. She spent the most time with him right? It wasn't on his term to interfere, so Gray gave her a reassuring nod. "I bet he would, Alice. You have a charm that captivates a lot of people here, as you should realize. I don't see why he wouldn't. You would probably be better protected if you were to..." He cut off for a moment to take a more deeper breath to calm himself further. "Honestly, what do you have to lose? You should be more brazen.

Alice took a moment to let the lizards words sink in. She nodded, but her eyebrow furrowed for a split second. "I guess... He's just really close to me is all. I wouldn't want to lose him as a friend" she noted his seemingly odd behavior, taking it as he still hadn't really figured it out yet. She smiled slightly, before loosening the tight grip she kept on his hand. "So... I should just tell him?" she asked with a tone of curiosity in her voice.

"I would just come right out with it...If I were you." He had added and nodded to the girl. At this point, his concern was fully on her predicament, when it probably would have been locked on their hands. He was one for detail when he had the time. He was absolutely sure whom Alice had meant though, and his sole wish then was to give the aid she expected. "I think if you came right out with it to him, there would be hesitation in the least. I mean, who would expect it?" This time Gray placed on more of a smile for her to boost her confidence a bit more.

"Well then..." she breathed in deeply, and exhaled, before staring up towards him, locking her gaze to his. "I'll be honest... What you said is right. I've got nothing to lose... And coming out with it would be better then allowing it to build up..." she smiled slightly, but it washed away as a more serious expression came to dwell on her. "Gray..." Alice squeezed his hand before looking towards him with confidence. "I- I like you..." she stated simply, feeling the red rush to her cheeks once she had gotten the three words out.

"Right, right. Easier to just get it out." Gray approved to her in a clarifying manner. He sensed her sudden serious exterior and was suddenly puzzled by it. It could have been mistaken with determination, until she spoke his name. The honey hues went wide, and then a more shocked expression was painted onto his features as she finished her phrase.

He could have sworn his clock nearly stopped as the realization hit him that she had meant him all along. He felt his own cheeks tint with the unfamiliar heat rising to them. It took a moment for the words to sink in, and he had to recover himself. If he had spoken sooner, there was a possibility he would have choked on his words. "W-wait, Alice." He took a moment for a breath. "You mean... I am- You meant you were crushing on me?"

"Y-Yes Gray..." she nodded earnestly, keeping her gaze on him, even though she felt the inward urge to stare directly down to the ground, and hide her red face. "You always seemed so adult... Mature and responsible... I feel like such a child around you sometimes" Alice's grip on his hand began to tighten and finally loosen, she could almost feel her heart beating in her throat, as it hammered against her chest. "I like you... And I don't know what else to say, really..." her voice grew more and more silent as her voice trailed off. Her lips formed a thin line, as she awaited his words.

He felt both relief, and more tense than he had all day. Was this really even happening? It was almost hard for him to believe. Out of all the others...And even Julius, whom he was positive she had meant. He pressed a hand to his chest, and pretended to adjust something, feeling the ticking in his chest past the extent it was usually. He was hoping in the odd silence of the street around them that she would not hear it. He inhaled again, trying to remain at a calmed outer look.

"T-to be honest, Alice. There is no way I could not return the feeling." He tried not to use particularly direct words, but they would be needed if he were to express the magnitude of how he felt. "Well, though I do not show it...I do like you too. Very much." His own lips were pressed to a line, as he inturn gripped onto her hand firmly. He was inwardly paranoid about seeming like a nervous idiot on the outside.

She froze, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Really?" as she looked towards his hand with a smile, she squeezed it gently, chuckling lightly at how jumpy he looked, his expression only causing her to smile towards him with a kind and touched look. Never had she seen him so caught off guard, this assassin who was a professional killer now looked like a nervous wreck. He was going against his own advice in being straightforward about things. She was taking his own advice in stride.

He could bet if he saw himself he would be down right embarrassed. He tried to seem more casual about it, and pressed his fist to his mouth, clearing his throat for a moment. He had to look away, and if only for a moment. He was presented with such sudden feelings, and realized his own in return. "Well..Yes, really. You are always so kind and helpful...Really, there is no way I could feel anything opposing than...What I feel."

She smiled at his words, glad he actually thought of her in a way that wasn't that of a worthless child, who complained and was far beyond mature. To be helpful to the lizard made her feel happy and useful. Keeping a grip on the males hand, she placed her free hand on his shoulder, as she forced herself onto her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek gently. She was still shorter then him, even on her toes, but she made an effort to reach him.

His clock was rather irregular at this point. He never took the liberty of experiencing any feelings like he had for her and it was puzzling to him. Then again...Nothing could be lost, right? The Lizard took the liberty of bending down more for her so she would not have to exert herself.

The molten gold of his hues swept around them briefly before he was brazen enough at that point to catch her on her lips in return for the placement on his cheek. He was sure they were at a quite noticeably pink tint by then. Nevertheless his feelings were expressed further by it, and he burning in curiosity from any further reactions from the foreigner.

Freezing in place, she felt something soft against her lips... His own. If her face wasn't red enough, it certainly was now. Her teal orbs stared into the marmalade gold color that were his. She slowly came to the realization of the ex assassins sudden actions, and returned the kiss gently, feeling her heart beat faster.

Gray froze like that. As still as the ex assassin could manage to be which was to statue proportions. He took the oppotunity to grasp sense of each and every feeling he was experiencing then. A rare experience for memory. He also mapped the feel of her lips to his own, which eventually resported in the fact he relucantly so moved about an inch or two from her face.

Anyone else would have grasped full advantage of this situation. Gray however realized he had frozen for quite a few silent moments as they stared. And the fact they were right outside the shop, it surely wasn't an appropriate place no matter how in depth he wished to continue. He inhaled lightly, and after so a smile creased his lips.

His smile reassured her she hadn't been wrong and made a mistake. She returned his action with a slight smile. "Let's get the medicine" she spoke in a hushed and quiet tone, almost a whisper. Her flushed face didn't bother her now as she instinctively gave the hand of his that she held a slight squeeze, as if to reassure herself she wasn't dreaming, or this wasn't some illusion. Allowing her other hand to leave his shoulder, she returned to to her side, as she started to walk forward.

"Ah, r-right." He straightened his tie out of pure habit. He had nearly forgotten about the medicine that had been their priority. He told himself they should focus on their task before wandering off for a break, or for amusement of their own. He couldn't help but ponder where all of this left them now, but he erased that from his mind for the brief time being. She giggled at his behavior. "Wasn't it you who said I should be more brazen~?" earning a short laugh from the navy haired man, he nodded. "More brazen indeed... And you have certainly accomplished such"


End file.
